Chapter Two: “So, we meet again.”

Holly was standing on a nearby sand dune studying her map in the helmet when she saw three figures on camels riding towards her. Her new Hummingbirds were charging, so she’d bought an Arabian mare that was a dark as midnight. The mare raised her dainty head at the new comers and snorted.

“Oh, come on, girl.” she said, patting the black mane from the horses’ eyes. “No need to be hostile.”

Artemis was the first to dismount when they reached her.

“So, we meet again.”

Holly just nodded.

“So, where’re we headed?” asked Juliet, leaning forward over her saddle.

Holly pulled her helmet off. The noon desert sun glinted off her hair.

“Remote Egyptian village. Twenty eight clicks south of here. Hopefully we’ll be there by twilight.”

Both Artemis and Butler nodded.

Holly’s mare snuffed Artemis’s camel, and reeled back after only a couple of moments. The poor horse started rearing, and Holly tried her best to calm the animal down, and eventually the horse quieted.

“I wonder what that was about.”

The other three shrugged.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

By the time the sun was setting, they were within a mile of the village, but it was too dark to keep moving.

After a light dinner, Holly slipped into her sleeping bag. Her horse laid down close by.

Artemis was the only one that couldn’t sleep. His mind wouldn’t let him. If only he had those sleeping pills his mother used to take….

Holly rolled over in her sleeping bag, her upturned nose facing him. A couple strands of hair fell in her face. She certainly looked much prettier when she was asleep. Not that Artemis would say that to her face.

Holly’s eyelids scrunched tighter. The sixteen year old boy smiled a bit. She looked like she was sucking on a lemon. He was tempted to brush the hair from her face, but that might wake up the sleeping fairy, and who knew what would happen then.

It was true that Artemis respected Holly in many ways. When they first met that fateful night when he kidnapped her, he just thought of her as an animal and not as someone like him. But that all changed on their second adventure, when Holly’s finger was chopped off on the train. Her magic was weak enough for her not to be able to reattach it, but he completed the Ritual for her. That was when he discovered his deep respect for her. Since, they’d been good friends. Now he had this strange feeling……Like he wanted to kiss her. Very strange. Damn puberty. he thought.

Holly grunted quietly and rolled over onto her back. Maybe Artemis could take his chances and kiss her now, but that might ruin their friendship.

Oh, come on you sorry sap! cried his inner self. No one’ll know! You can just kiss her on the lips once and act as if nothing happened! They’ll think she’s gone nuts because of it.

But I don’t want to make her seem nuts, he argued. Besides. She’s not stupid. She’ll know and ridicule me for the rest of my days.

That may be true, but still: How many chances of that are there?

I’d say about five out of ten.

You and your statistics.

You just insulted yourself by saying that. You’re me, remember?

Yes, I know, but what have you got to loose? Nothing, right?

No, I guess not.

That’s the spirit. Go for it cowboy.

……………Not funny.

I know.

Artemis shook his head. No, I won’t do it. Not for a million dollars.

His conscience didn’t reply.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Only an hour after they set out again, the four reached the village. It looked like they’d just stepped back into the time of King Tut. Several women looked up and dropped the pots they were carrying. Men with shaven heads whispered to each other. A toddler pointed to Holly. The Arabian mare pranced uneasily.

“Hey, girl. Shhhhh. Steady.” she said, trying to calm the restless mare by patting her midnight coat.

One of the village leaders came up to the four. Holly dismounted, not noticing the giant slab of rock just behind her.

Two members of the community (apparently the current elders) came over and began shaking Holly’s hand while others just bowed. The poor elf was utterly confused. She looked to Artemis for help, but he was staring at the giant slab of rock. Turning, Holly’s eyes widened.

On the boulder was a depiction of a female with shoulder-length red hair surrounded by hieroglyphics. Foaly’s voice buzzed in her ear.

“And there’s the thing I sent you here for.”

“That…that girl…..she looks like…..”

“You.” finished Artemis, who dismounted his camel, followed by Butler and Juliet.

Holly turned and grinned sheepishly at the Egyptians bowing.

“This can’t be good.”

Some other stories by thecutevillan:

• Update for A.F. and the Red-Haired Egyptian!

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